Hero's Come Back
by wubbzy
Summary: Sakura was assigned a mere C-rank mission to give aid to children in a small village. She did not expect to find a Jinchūriki under the guise of a ramen chef. Heroes will be tested, flowers will bloom, and maelstroms will come back ten folds. NaruSaku. AU. One-shot.


**Summary:** Sakura was assigned a mere C-rank mission to give aid to children in a small village. She did not expect to find a Jinchūriki under the guise of a ramen chef. Hero's will be tested, flowers will bloom, and maelstroms will come back ten folds. NaruSaku. AU.

 _Character(s):_ Naruto U., Sakura H., Jiraiya

 _AN:_ That moment when you should be writing your paper due in a few hours, but end up writing fanfiction instead. Priorities, am I right?

Happy New Years! Woohoo, starting the year off with updates! Yay! So, yeah… another fic… I apologize. Just a oneshot, though. Title based off of the first Naruto Shippuden opening because I felt incredibly nostalgic and that opening gave me this kind of vibe. I seriously wanted to make this a epic/ chapter fic, but I decided against it because I have to finish way too many other fics. So I ended up cutting this fic short, and making this into an extremely long oneshot. Because of that, it probably seems rushed, but hopefully not as much as my last one! Enjoy!

 _Recommendation:_ Nobodyknows – _"Hero's Come Back"_

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 **Hero's Come Back**

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 _The rising cheers will become your courage_

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Sakura Haruno straightened her back, stood a little taller, her feet firmly on the floor as she nodded at her shishou. Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice, now a chuunin, and now very capable of handling a simple C-rank mission on her own.

Sakura was in awe and just a bit nervous, this being the first time she was given a solo mission. She swallowed, her tongue running circles in the back of her teeth. Her sharp emerald eyes bore into Tsunade's in hopes that Tsunade could read her thoughts clearly.

 _I will not let you down._

Tsunade had previously asked if she would feel better with a partner, however, Sakura decided against that option.

"Good, I would have said no anyways," she admitted, showing just how much she trusted her student now. Gone was the twelve-year-old girl who begged Tsunade to teach her medical ninjutsu. In her place was a kunoichi with her shishou's will and strength instilled in her.

"This is a special mission."

Tsunade paused, inhaling a breath before she looked up to Sakura once more and gave a sly smile as she handed her the files for her mission.

A C-rank mission: _a village on the outskirts of Fire Country requires a medical ninja to aid in finding an antidote for an illness common in their village. Children under the ages of 12 are most susceptible. Diagnose and treat all before it turns fatal._ _Aid in sustaining a sick free environment in the village._

"I won't let you down, Tsunade-sama," she reassured. Tsunade nodded, having more faith in her student than Sakura could realize. Tsunade taught her everything she needed to know, especially for a mission requiring a medical ninja. Really, Sakura was perfect for the job. Her knowledge and ability to take in information and apply it quickly meant that out of everyone, Sakura would be the one to find the appropriate antidote to treat them. Plus, she was the only one she could trust for this particular mission.

"Sakura... also, your client… This is a personal request, but please find as much information about your client as possible. Who they are around, their reasoning's for this mission, etc." Tsunade urged. Sakura tilted her head, confused, but didn't question her. "I already know you're going to ask why... it's just a hunch, but I need to be sure. Send a raven to report back to me every three days. Questions?"

Sakura shook her head, Tsunade already reading her mind so there was no point in asking.

"No questions. Understood, Tsunade-sama." Sakura bowed, turning away and preparing for her mission.

.

The trip to the village was two days. It wasn't too long, considering.

Sakura only packed the essentials: her medical supplies, a reference book, and seeds of the herbs she was planning to plant. The village was still in Fire Country, so she assumed that many of the herbs Konoha had would be growing either in or near the outskirts of the village she was visiting. In either case, it was a safety measure in case she couldn't find what she was looking for.

Tsunade warned her that it would be a long-term mission, without an estimate as to when she would be back. It depended on her pace. Without a good idea of the sickness, she couldn't give a good estimate on how long it would take, but she figured it didn't hurt to plan for the worse.

Sakura was a planner. Without knowing much about the village, she already had a good idea on what she needed to do in order to complete this mission with zero casualties.

So, when she did reach the village, she went straight to looking for her client.

Sakura wasn't sure what to expect, but when she arrived, she found the village small and humble. But it was more than that. It almost seemed abandoned, if it weren't for the odd feeling she had at the pit of her stomach and the back of her neck. As she walked passed houses, she immediately had the eerie sense that eyes were watching her. Her eyebrow quirked, not feeling threatened, but instead feeling odd that so many eyes were on her without seeing the villagers that hid in their dilapidated homes.

This is why it was rather shocking to see a lone child stand right in front of her. She stopped in her tracks, tilting her head at the little boy in front of her, staring at her with curious, yet defensive eyes.

Sakura gave a polite smile, hoping to show that she was no threat to him.

"Hello, my name is Haruno, Sakura. I'm a ninja from Konohagakure, and I'm here to help," Sakura explained, bending down and already analyzing the little boy in front of her. He was in simple, dirty garments, his cheeks smudged with mud.

He stared up to her, silent with wide eyes. He seemed confused, yet inquisitive. She was about to speak again, but right when she opened her mouth, the small child abruptly ran off in a different direction. Sakura stood up once more, her arms on her hips. She felt perplexed, wondering why he ran off all of a sudden, especially when she posed no threat. She raised an eyebrow at the little boy's strange behavior, but soon shrugged it off, knowing she should get to her client as soon as possible.

Sakura unraveled her mission scroll once more, looking for directions in an attempt to figure out their rendezvous point. She looked over the directions, before coming across a small hut. Sakura walked into the small hut, hoping this was the right one.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Sakura asked, peeking in.

Sakura came across two people. A young man with unruly blond hair and deep blue eyes. He had loose clothing – _orange_ , she thought incredulously.

The second person… was an older man with white long hair. She recognized him. Sakura, uncharacteristically at the shocking revelation, stuttered at the man before her.

"Y-you're Jiraiya-sama!" Sakura realized, knowing full well of the images in her history books. He was also Tsunade-sama's teammate: one of _the_ Legendary Sannin. Tsunade's last request seemed to come together in that instant. He was the one she was supposed to keep an eye on for her, to learn as much about as she could. The man in question looked at the girl with curious eyes, an eyebrow raising as he looked skeptical at Sakura.

"Yes, that's me," Jiraiya said with a sly smirk. "This is my recent traveling companion, Naruto – he's a ramen chef." Sakura nodded. Naruto gave a small nod, unable to bring himself to stare into her eyes. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, wondering if she had met this young man before. He had an air of familiarity, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She let that thought leave, however, instead bowing and focusing her attention on Jiraiya.

"Nice to meet you. I'm assuming you're my client? I'm ready to help anyway I can," Sakura declared. Jiraiya eyed her carefully, uncertainty glimmering in his eyes.

"The Hokage sent you for this mission? But you're so young!" Jiraiya realized, disappointed. He was hoping for someone like Shizune, in all honesty (at least then he could entertain himself by flirting with the woman). Sakura stood a little bit taller, her back a little straighter and her green eyes sharper.

"I may be young, but I've studied under Tsunade-sama herself." Jiraiya nodded in understanding, Sakura's ferociousness mirroring Tsunade's. He smirked at the mention of her teacher.

"Oh, so you're Tsunade's apprentice? If I remember correctly: Sakura, was it? She was sure you were ready for this, huh." Jiraiya looked up thoughtful, his fingers grazing the stubble on his chin. Sakura nodded, inwardly surprised that they were in contact, and she mentioned her name. It made her feel pride at that thought. "Well, if she believes in you then I have no choice than to put my faith in your medical abilities, Sakura." Sakura smiled even more, nodding. "Hey, can you give us a minute?" Jiraiya asked Sakura. Sakura simply nodded before getting up and lugging her backpack out the hut.

During that time, Jiraiya eyed Naruto curiously, who was surprisingly silent during the whole exchange.

"What's wrong with you, kid? I could have sworn you were just saying you would make sure whoever the medical ninja was, that you would demand they work twenty-four seven to help these kids. Weren't you going to tell the medical ninja off for arriving so late?" Because really, it was odd for him _not_ to loudly state his name like he usually did. The boisterous blond would have demanded for her to hurry, urging her to go to the hospital immediately.

"N-nothing's wrong. I decided not to," Naruto said, a bit flustered as he turned away from Jiraiya. Jiraiya's eyes widened, noticing the deep blush over his cheeks. It only took him a few seconds to put two and two together. Jiraiya looked at him knowingly, laughing profusely.

"I knew it would happen eventually! I knew that stick up your ass wouldn't stay there for too long,"

Jiraiya continued to laugh, while Naruto wished he could jab him in the gut as hard as Tsuande could.

Naruto grumbled, crossing his arms, extremely annoyed with Jiraiya.

Sakura curiously peeked into the hut, unsure what to make of what she was hearing between the odd men. She shrugged, figuring it'd be better if she unpacked.

"Sorry for intruding. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to unpack my things. Where will I be staying?" she asked. The two momentarily stopped their bickering at the sound of her voice. Jiraiya beamed.

"Naruto will show you to your room," he said, padding Naruto's back a little _too_ roughly.

Naruto glared at Jiraiya, knowing what the dark smirk meant.

"You're coming too" Naruto said in between gritted teeth.

Jiraiya laughed, padding his back.

"Too soon, then," he laughed, both standing and planning to show Sakura to her room.

.

Sakura eyed the young man carefully, wondering if he always acted this nervous. She also had the uncanny feeling that she knew him from somewhere. She just couldn't put her finger on where. It was really bothering her.

It was also odd that Jiraiya-sama was traveling with a ramen chef of all people. It just didn't make sense to her. It was no wonder Tsunade-sama asked her to find out as much about the legendary sanin as she could.

"Sorry about earlier, I'm not usually quiet like that," he finally spoke up, Naruto holding the biggest grin she'd seen on anyone, like it was trying to reach his ears. He scratched the back of his head, seeming insanely anxious. Jiraiya was in back of him, his arms crossed and simply observing the situation with an odd expression Sakura could not read.

"So you said you're Sakura-chan? I was wondering…" Naruto began, his anxiousness now slowly leaving.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched at the sudden familiarity in her name.

"Yes, Uzumaki-san?" she said for good measure, hoping he received the hint. Naruto's hands moved to the back of his head, now less nervous and feeling more comfortable.

"You can just call me Naruto. You don't have to be so professional, Sakura-chan." Evidently, he didn't. Sakura sighed.

"Sorry, Uzumaki-san, but I like to keep things professional." She eyed him warningly, but Naruto didn't seem to notice. He said her name as though it was the most natural thing in the world, like he'd known her all his life.

"Naruto, don't you know you're not to refer to a lady with such familiarity, kunoichi especially don't enjoy that," Jiraiya berated, realizing this was already heading to a bad start. He couldn't help but feel Tsunade's rage in Sakura, who became extremely annoyed by Naruto's rashness.

Naruto couldn't help but blush in embarrassment, and glare at the man before him, not realizing what he did wrong. He shrugged.

"I dunno what you're talking about!" Naruto glared at Jiraiya as he rubbed his head.

Sakura sighed, not understanding one bit. Naruto and Jiraiya continued to argue, harsh whispers towards each other.

.

"Here's your room," Naruto said, opening the door for her. They stopped at her room, and she thanked him.

"I'm going to go check on something, I'll see you two soon," Jiraiya said, before poofing away. Sakura frowned, hoping he didn't always disappear like this. It will definitely be hard to gather intel like if he kept doing that. Regardless, there was still another part of her mission that she had to focus on either way.

"I'm just going to get my things ready, and then I'll head to the hospital," Sakura explained. Naruto nodded.

"I'll wait out here," he offered, but Sakura shook her head.

"You don't have to, Uzumaki-san. I can just report back to Jiraiya-sama and get the details," Sakura reassured him, but he only frowned, his hand now holding the door open before she had the chance to close it.

"Hey, just so you know _, I'm_ your client, not that Perverted Sage," he clarified. Sakura looked annoyed. So he was rude to _everyone_ , even a Legendary Sanin. Still if what he said was true, and he really was her client… She looked at him curiously, genuinely shocked.

If he really was her client, then she wondered why Tsunade-sama asked her to gather information on him. It seemed pretty odd. There had to be more to him than she could see.

She already felt a sense of recognition with his features.

Sakura looked at him suspiciously, too. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt as though she recognized him from somewhere.

Those deep blue eyes, that spikey blond hair… those whiskered marks.

All peculiar features.

All features she feels she recognized long ago.

It made her all the more curious.

Naruto continued, "Many of the children here are orphans, and I needed Tsunade-baachan's medical prowess to save them." Sakura tilted her head. She wondered how a simple ramen chef could pay for such a mission. Sakura was shocked at the amount this B-rank mission paid. It was hard to imagine that he would be the client, but she figured Jiraiya-sama helped out with the money too, since he was here too.

Sakura nodded, realizing the odd change in her plans.

"I won't let you down!" she reassured.

She smiled when she caught his huge grin, his cheeks painted with a pink hue.

"Hey, why don't we go to the hospital together, so you can see what you have in store? They really need your help. I can explain in more detail along the way." Sakura nodded, prepared.

"You got it!" Naruto grinned.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura grew annoyed, her brows furrowing and her eyes blazing with anger.

"Stop saying my name like that!"

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"So you're my actual client, Uzumaki-san? I'm surprised a ramen chef would be so charitable." Naruto cringed because of her formalities. Still, he shook it off before answering her question.

"Anyone would do it."

"No… actually, they really wouldn't," Sakura said, remembering previous missions she had to handle with greedy clients or the ruthless ninja that didn't give a damn about the villagers, let alone sick children.

Naruto merely shrugged.

"Anyone with a heart would do it," he corrected. Sakura smiled warmly, realizing this was a rather sweet ramen chef. "You'll see when we go to the hospital," Naruto said. Sakura observed the intense look in his eyes, the deep melancholy over his face.

She frowned, hoping she could do something to bring a smile on his face again, preferring his huge grin than anything else.

"Why is this village in such ruins?" she asked.

"I'm not sure exactly, but the pervy sage said something about the previous war caused some village to never return to their previous state of prosperity. This one is one of those villages. It's so hidden, too, that not many stop by. Eventually, a lot of the villagers here left because of the lack of resources. That's why there's not that many adults."

"They were just left behind like this?"

"A lot of their parents died." Sakura frowned, recalling the scared little boy who she first met. "The main adults are people like Hikari-chan, but she mainly just does her best to take care of all the children." Sakura looked to the ground, wondering how anyone could live like this.

"I'm hoping that Baa-chan can give more aid or at least help them somehow," he said, his eyes burning with a determination she had never seen in anyone before. "No one deserves to live like this."

Sakura nodded in total agreement. Sakura was more than ready to do whatever she can to help him and the sick children of this village. It wasn't right, and she planned to do everything she can to help him, his words sending forth a motivation she had never felt before.

When they arrived at the hospital, Sakura couldn't help but wonder if this was really the hospital.

It wasn't much of one at all.

The walls were stained and the one story building itself looked decrepit, like it's never been renovated. The buildings were desecrated, the wood old and weary.

" _This_ is the hospital?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"Not what you're used to?" Sakura looked up to see a middle age woman with a small, tired smile across her face. She had long brown hair tied back in a ponytail and here eyes were a dark brown.

"This is Hikari-chan. She's the one who takes care of the kids," Naruto said. Sakura bowed.

"Hello, I am Sakura Haruno. I'm here to do whatever I can to cure them."

"Yes, I've been told. I'm so thankful that Naruto-kun was able to bring a medical ninja like yourself. I hope you can help. They've been doing worse these days." Sakura looked at Naruto with disbelief.

"They need a lot of help," he explained – the biggest understatement of the year.

"If there's anything you need, please let me know Sakura-san," Hikari said. Sakura nodded.

"Thank you, I'll do everything I can. It's a good thing I brought all my supplies." Sakura already started to figure out a new plan of action, realizing the supplies necessary may not be there. She tightened her grip on the straps of her backpack, ready to do whatever she could to help them.

Sakura was shocked to see the over capacity hospital was filled with tattered beds with sickly children in them, coughing and bedridden. She looked around, seeing all their eyes on her.

The "hospital" was a mess. It was disorganized and unmanaged. In fact, there was only two teenage girls there, offering all the assistance she could for them. One was named Saki, a sister of one of the sick children. The other was Ami.

"Like I said, a lot of help…" She wasn't even sure where to start.

"I'm going to need your help," she said. Naruto nodded, offering her a thumbs up.

"Whatever you need!"

Sakura grabbed a hair tie, her eyes determined to do whatever she could.

This was going to take a while.

.

"Naruto!" the little children's sickly expression immediately curled up into bright smiles – as bright as they could manage.

"Hey everyone! How are you feeling today?" he asked. They all began talking at once. "One at a time, one at a time," he laughed, his playful attitude and his huge grin putting the children at ease. "Okay, you guys, so I brought a special person with me!"

"Your girlfriend?" a little girl chimed in, admiring the girl in back of him. Naruto laughed.

"No, not yet," he said, making Sakura fume a bit, her fist clenching. He chuckled out, "Easy now, I was just joking. But this is Sakura-chan! She's going to do whatever she can to make all of you guys better, okay?" The children smiled, observing her.

"Hi, I'm going to do my best, but I'm going to need all of you to just sit tight and wait patiently until I get to all of you, okay?" The children nodded, some coughing and some laying back down, too sick to sit up for too long. Sakura smiled while Naruto talked to the kids, easing their minds.

"Who would have thought…" Sakura mumbled to herself, looking back to Naruto's interactions with the children, before she brought her bag on a table and began unpacking her medical tools. She had better not waste any time if she wanted to get through every child today.

She grabbed her stethoscope from her bag, the medical tool over her neck as she moved closer to the children, greeting them and explaining what she wanted to do in order to keep them calm.

Still, many of the children looked afraid of the stethoscope, as though they had never seen a real doctor before. Naruto immediately came in, trying to help them understand that Sakura would not hurt them.

"Hey, don't worry, okay? Sakura-chan will make you feel all better!" Naruto tried to comfort them, putting their imaginative minds at ease. They gave Naruto a soft smile as he ruffled a little girl's hair. The little girl sheepishly nodded, moving the blankets off her and sitting up.

"What's your name?" she asked, beginning the examination. She was a small girl with tan skin, and chocolate eyes that matched her hair.

"Aya," she said, her voice timid and meek. Sakura nodded, hiding her concern.

"Okay, then let me see what I can do. I will do my best to make you feel better." Sakura said gently, moving the stethoscope over the girl's torso. "I'm just going to listen to your heart and lungs for a bit, okay, Aya-chan? So just breathe normally for me." And she began her routine checkup.

"What are you feeling?" Sakura asked, more concerned with what she heard in the girl's lungs. It seemed so congested, and she could tell the girl had trouble breathing normally. "Does it hurt?" she asked. Aya nodded. "Can you describe it for me?"

"It hurts here." The girl pointed to her chest before she began to cough. Sakura frowned, picking up the phlegm in her lungs.

It was the same for every single children in there. It was a peculiar illness that was contagious to the just children it looked like.

Sakura was the studious type. Tsunade had her study all kinds of illnesses from the past, and yet she had never came across anything like this in her medical books. She grabbed her journal, writing down all the information she could about these cases, trying to use this to help her come up with a way to help them.

She figured it would be easy to treat for the most part. She could take out the phlegm that was in their lungs, but it would be hard to figure out a cure herself. She wished she could study the illness in a real lab. However, she would have to make due with sending samples back to see what they had to say about this.

"Sakura-chan, do you have any idea what they have?" Sakura frowned.

"No idea, Uzumaki-san. However, I can at least treat them today. They have a lot of mucus in their chest, so I can easily get that out of their chest. However, it'll take a while to fully cure them."

Naruto nodded.

"Whatever you need, I'm here to help," Naruto offered. Sakura smiled thankful. With this procedure, and with how many she will have to perform it on, she would definitely need it – especially in terms of calming the children down while she did the procedure.

"Thank you, Uzumaki-san."

.

Sakura Haruno was not Tsunade's apprentice for nothing.

She managed to remove the buildup of phlegm in the children – whatever it was, she still had to do some experiments to figure it out – from their lungs, making it easier for the children to breathe.

The medical procedure was easy enough for a medical ninja of her status.

However, not every medical ninja could treat so many patients in one go.

She was exhausted, but she refused to quit until every child was feeling better, the mucus gone.

Of course, this was only treating the symptom and not the disease. This procedure only bought her

enough time to find a cure. But it was needed time that she planned to use as effectively as she could.

She was grateful that Naruto was there every step of the way. She could only see him from the corner of her eye when she began the procedure, her hand hovering her patient's chest before she pushed clear water into their body with her chakra, before bringing the mucus out.

Naruto acted as her assistant, along with Saki who were both amazed at the complete focus Sakura had as she worked her medical jutsu. Both Saki would aid, handing Sakura the medical supplies she needed or holding the bowl of water closer for her. Ami was busy attending to the other children, but she would watch too, in awe by Sakura's ability to heal.

Naruto would wipe away the beads of sweat that would roll down her forehead, or offered her water when she felt weak from the chakra required to finish.

"Thanks, Hikari, Naruto, Saki, and Ami. I really appreciate all your help," Sakura smiled, feeling drained and wiping her forehead with her arm.

"Thank you, Sakura-san," both Ami and Saki said with the utmost gratitude. Both bowed.

"Yes, thank you so much Sakura-san. I was afraid for the worse until you showed up. This is the first time they're sleeping so well," Hikari said. Sakura smiled.

"I'm glad that I could give you a break from watching all of them as well. I know it must have been tough on your own."

"Well, I had Saki, Ami, and Naruto here to help. But I'm just so happy that they can finally live normal lives soon." Hikari said, watching the sleeping children with hope in her heart.

"Sakura-chan, you're so amazing," Naruto complimented, still awestruck by her performance and her ability to help all the children like that. He could tell it took a really heavy strain on her chakra reserves.

Many of the children slept soundly afterwards, their breathing much better. At that time, Sakura went to send the samples and her report with a hawk. When she came back, she saw the two teenagers with a look of relief as they slumped onto the chair, finally getting a break from the work. Naruto grinned at her, truly thankful.

Sakura's face heated, never having anyone look at her the way Naruto was in that moment. She shook it off, however.

"Okay, thanks for all your help. I'm going to go study some of these samples for-" she stopped mid-sentence, her body finally giving in to her exhaustion and nearly collapsing. Luckily, Naruto was there to help stabilize her, holding her in his arms. He grasped her shoulder, lightly shaking her in hopes that she was okay.

He beamed down at her with admiration when her eyes fluttered open.

"U-Uzumaki-san?" she questioned, grasping her forehead. She had a headache now, her body aching from the chakra exhaustion.

"Don't worry, I got you now, Sakura-chan. Ami and Saki will take care of the rest now that they're okay." He felt her forehead. "I think you are depleted of chakra. You need rest," Naruto said, looking at the light smiles on the kid's faces as they dozed off.

"Thanks," Sakura said. Sakura recomposed herself, trying to stand up and playfully swatting Naruto away. However, she groaned, her body shaking at the strain that caused. She'd never done something like this before, so it took a toll on her.

"Just so you know, it's not over yet. They feel better now, but it's going to come back. I just stabilized them for the time being," Sakura explained. Naruto nodded.

"Understood, Sakura-chan."

"It's Sakura to you, Uzumaki-san," she offered. "And I said I'm fine, let me go… aren't you supposed to be making these children that ramen you promised?" she muttered, before falling asleep in his arms.

Naruto could only grin at the miraculous sleeping girl in his arms.

It was hard _not_ to admire her after doing what she just did.

.

Sakura woke up to a dark room. She yawned, stretching her tired muscles. She looked around, realizing she was in her room. She stretched out the crooks from her neck, bending down and stretching out her back and legs. It was then she heard a knock from her door.

"Sakura, it's dinner time," Jiraiya called from the other side of the door. Sakura smiled.

"I'll be out in a minute," she said, deciding to change into a different set of clothes.

She would have to see if there were baths anywhere after dinner.

She desperately prayed that there were. But with how the village looked, she really doubted.

She sighed as she zipped up her maroon vest and buckled the straps on her light pink skirt. She blushed, looking down to her stomach as it gave a loud growl.

"I must be starving," Sakura figured, thankful that no one heard that.

"Oh yeah, you'll have your stomach full in no time," she heard Jiraiya call from the other side. Sakura nearly fell, not realizing that he was still there.

"Jiraiya-sama?" she gasped.

.

The silence was nerve-wracking for her as she walked with the legendary sanin, Jiraiya. It was an honor, really.

She felt intimidated, never seeing him before today.

The two walked to the hospital where dinner was being served. Sakura smiled, hoping to know more about the great sage.

"Jiraiya-sama," she began. Jiraiya looked down to her, giving her his attention. "I was just wondering how you met Uzumaki-san. Where is he from?" she asked. Jiraiya smirked.

"It's simple, really. I saved the kid, so he was forever in debt to me. He pays me with ramen." Sakura quirked an eyebrow. She wondered if that was really true. She frowned.

"I don't understand… why?"

"You need to try the ramen," he laughed. Sakura's face made an incredulous face, wondering if Naruto's ramen was that good, that it even received a Legendary Sanin's stamp of approval. "Why so curious about him, though?" Jiraiya asked, wiggling his eyebrow.

Sakura blushed, clearly embarrassed, understanding what he was implying.

"It's not like that!" Sakura retorted. Jiraiya only laughed. Sakura recomposed herself, deciding to ask more about the village.

"Still, how did you two come across this village? How long have you been here? How did this happen? Naruto told me that the previous war caused this, but wasn't that a long time ago? How is it still affecting them? How did it come to this?" she asked a myriad of questions. Jiraiya sighed.

"The war was harsh. Many villagers on the outskirts, even if they weren't ninja, were effected. The enemies would use these villages to pillage through, taking everything. Many of the villagers fled, but many didn't make it. Those who survived worked on restoring their villages."

Sakura nodded. "Why wasn't this village restored?"

"Main villages, like Konoha offered aid, but there was only so much we could provide. They picked and chose which ones were given more aid. This particular village was forgotten. It's a miracle that it's still here today." Sakura frowned, looking to her feet, tears forming in her eyes. She quickly wiped them before they had a chance to fall.

"Terrible," she whispered.

"That's why we're here. We came across it a few months ago, so we stayed. Well, Naruto wanted to," Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head.

"Is that when they started getting sick?" Sakura asked.

Jiraiya sighed.

"They would have most likely died from malnutrition if we didn't show up," Jiraiya explained. Sakura frowned, realizing just how bleak their situation was.

She would do whatever she could to help them all.

.

"Sakura-chan deserves an extra-large bowl of ramen for all her hard work today!" Naruto declared, adding extra noodles to her bowl. Sakura politely grinned. She was happy to see a change in the hospital, with the children happily eating from bed, thanking Naruto for their meals.

"That's not necessary, Uzumaki-san," she tried, but he was having none of that. "I'm not the biggest fan of ramen," she added. Naruto's mouth opened, astonished. He grabbed his chest, acting as though she beat his chest with her outrageous words.

"Well, that's okay, you still need to try my ramen. You'll be changing your tune the second you try mine." Sakura raised an unamused eyebrow.

"Right, Uzumaki-san," she said, and Naruto pouted.

"You really don't have to call me that."

"I'll stop when you stop," she smirked.

"Fair enough, _Sakura-chan_ ," Naruto grinned. Sakura shook her head as Naruto handed her a bowl of ramen. The soup wafted into her nostrils, and she had to admit that it did smell good. She wasn't sure if it was because it was genuinely appetizing, or if she was just so hungry she would eat just about anything in that moment. Naruto smiled, handing Jiraiya a bowl before serving himself.

Naruto's eyes gleamed with such anticipation, waiting for Sakura to try his food. Sakura felt self-conscious under his gaze.

"Would you quit looking at me like that? I can't eat like this," Sakura said.

"I just really want to know what you think," Naruto said, his eyes never leaving her. Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes.

She took a tiny sip, and Naruto moved closer, hoping to see her admit that it was the best ramen she's ever tasted.

"Now, isn't that the best ramen you've ever tasted?" Naruto asked. Sakura put her spoon down.

"It's pretty good," she simply said, taking another sip. Naruto's face fell.

"Pretty good? Just _pretty_ _good?_ " It was the first time, Naruto looked truly offended. Sakura shrugged.

"I told you I'm not a fan of ramen. But it is good," she said, grabbing some noodles with her chopsticks before taking them in. Naruto crossed his arms in deep thought, wondering how that was possible.

"But even people who hate ramen love my stuff."

"I said it was good. Thank you," Sakura said giggling at his perplexed look. It was then, Naruto's eyes grew determined, those deep blue eyes locking with her own. She was astounded by the look in his eyes, the pure motivation he had.

"Sakura-chan, you will fall in love with my ramen. I just know it," he declared, a smirk forming. Sakura sighed, before giggling.

"We'll see about that, Uzumaki-san."

.

Food really helped her think straight, and completely replenished her chakra. A nice warm bath (which she was more than happy to use) relaxed her muscles.

The ramen was actually much better than she expected, but she could never fully admit that to him. Either way, it was back to work for her, coming up with her next plan of action as she hoped a raven would come back with a way to treat the children fully, or at the very least, more information about the bacteria.

Even so, she would do what she could here with what she had. There was already so much she wanted to do to help them. It might take weeks, maybe months.

But it was time she was more than happy to give to them, realizing just how much they needed it. Plus, she didn't want to let Naruto or Hikari down. He was so invested in their well being, caring so much for everyone here, that she couldn't bear to let him or the children down. She vowed to bring smiles to all of their faces once again.

.

To make that happen and find a cure, she would have to implement a lot of changes.

She began by creating an herb garden. She was pleasantly surprised when she had noticed the vegetable garden, and so, planned on adding herbs to the mix. It would help her when creating an antidote.

She got her supplies early morning, deciding it was a good a time as ever to properly prepare the soil. The children were still sleeping and the sun was just rising, making it an ideal time to do so. Sakura yawned, before lugging her supplies to an acceptable spot.

Sakura felt a presence behind her when she knelt down to begin digging into the soil. Sakura looked back, raising an eyebrow.

"Uzumaki-san, what are you doing up so early?" she questioned, her basket in her hand as she turned to the young man. He gave her a sheepish grin.

"I wanted to help. I love gardening," he reasoned. Sakura tilted her head.

"Really?" she asked in wonderment. Naruto merely beamed.

"Gardening was a past time of mine," he explained, before he went to grab some supplies to properly prepare the soil. Sakura giggled. "How do you think there's a vegetable garden that awesome?" Sakura was genuinely surprised, not realizing it was Naruto's doing. She smiled warmly.

"You surprise me every day, Uzumaki-san."

"How is it surprising?" he questioned, a blank look in his eyes.

"You did a really good job with the garden. It's also going to be really helpful. It's amazing, actually, that you managed to do all this. They all look great," Sakura elaborated, her hand over a tomato.

"There hasn't been a single day you haven't amazed me, Sakura-chan," he confessed. Sakura's face heated, before she waved him away.

"Uzumaki-san," she said teasingly.

"You amaze me multiple times a day with all you did for the kids. I haven't seen them that cheerful for a long time now," he complimented, the same foxy grin appearing. Sakura smirked, wondering if Jiraiya was the one who taught him to flirt so well, him growing comfortable enough to flirt so openly with her now, using his charm to try woo her.

Often times, she had no response for his compliments, instead focusing more on getting the job done than anything else.

But he didn't make her laugh as she continued to work on aiding the village.

.

During this time, she was also looking to find capable people to carry on long after she left, because she certainly couldn't stay here forever. It was necessary she at least taught them first aid and the likes in order to treat the kids.

Not many takers, other than the obvious Hikari, Saki, and Ami. A small boy by the name of Takeshi volunteered as well, and of course, Naruto.

"So, was there ever a healer or doctor in this village?"

Saki raised her hand. "Yes there was, but she's been long gone. She… well, she's not with us anymore," Saki explained. Sakura frowned, understanding.

"Unfortunately, my level of care is very basic," Hikari admitted. Sakura nodded.

"Well, I'm going to teach you as much as I know about medicine so you can help these kids too. It'll be a lot of help having more hands too. The first thing we're going to learn is the different type of medicines one can use," Sakura began. Naruto raised his hand.

"Are we going to learn how to give CPR at some point? You can use me as the practice dummy," Naruto grinned, winking at the girl, and Sakura rolled her eyes. The other girls giggled.

"Anymore questions?" They shook their head.

"No I'm ready to do whatever I can to help, Sakura-chan!" Naruto swore, his determination reminding them to do their best and work their hardest.

Naruto always seemed to know how to lighten the mood and put people at ease during a bleak situation.

.

She was surprised by the quick pace Tsunade replied back. She read the small note from the raven, raising an eyebrow by Tsunade's words.

"New mission?" Sakura whispered to herself, her eyebrows furrowing for a brief second before her eyes widened at the S-class ranking this mission was classified as.

She gulped.

" _Keep close eye on Naruto. Don't let him out of sight. Report back with any information on him. Bring back to village when viable._

Sakura raised an eyebrow, wondering why.

Sakura responded back, watching the raven fly off into the distance as she contemplated the meaning of her mission.

.

As the days went by, she got to know Naruto and the kids well. They wanted to play like normal kids despite their illness, which made her happy that she was able to make that happen.

She got to know each and every one of them, like Aya, who was one of the sweetest, with the brightest smile. Or the quiet little boy she had seen, Odai, who apparently likes to sneak out of the hospital any chance he got. It was rough handling so many kids. When she would babysit, she wouldn't take care of so many. Luckily, she had people like Naruto there, who was great with all the kids.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan. Most of them couldn't get out of bed before you showed up," he said gratefully.

"Hopefully they'll continue to do that." Sakura said, putting her medical tools away. She looked over to Naruto, who was fondly watching over the children.

"Hey, Uzumaki-san, you're really good with kids, aren't you?" Sakura noticed. Naruto looked back, before he smiled.

"Yeah, and I can cook too. Totally husband material," Naruto said, a wide grin forming on his features and brightening Sakura's day.

She turned away, trying to hide her smile but failing to do so despite herself.

"Well, it's a start. I'm sure you'll make some girl happy," she said.

"Hey, you know, I think I can make you happy if you let me," he said, making her gasp a bit, her cheeks turning different shades of pink. "Relax, I'm just kidding," Naruto laughed, waving off her embarrassment.

"Sure," Sakura rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. The look on your face is always priceless," Naruto laughed. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Hardy har har, baka," she said, even with a small smile curling up as well.

.

Jiraiya smirked.

"It looks like you two have things covered here,' he said, and the two deadpanned.

 _Yeah, because all you do is drink and be a lecher…_

"Naruto, Sakura, I'll be going for a bit, I'll be back in a few days," he said, trusting they could handle things without him. And Naruto frowned, seeming worried.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Naruto asked, looking afraid. Sakura frowned, wondering why he was so unnerved. It was the first time she'd seen him like this.

Jiraiya patted his back.

"Don't you worry about a thing! You don't need my help right now. Sakura here is a very capable kunoichi who will protect you," Jiraiya laughed.

Naruto did not seem amused.

"That's not what I meant-"

"You'll be fine. Just be careful," Jiraiya reassured, before waving goodbye at the two. "This is why you shouldn't tie yourself down all the time," Jiraiya berated, making Naruto grumble. "I still have to go and take care of unfinished business. You should have thought about this before you requested the mission, fool," Jiraiya said. Naruto frowned, inner turmoil within him.

"Then just go," Naruto said, annoyed with the perverted hermit.

Sakura figured she should mention this to Tsunade in her current report to her. Sakura nodded to herself. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in thought, wondering what that exchange even meant.

At the time, she didn't realize that she would soon find out.

.

It seemed just a little quieter without Jiraiya there making a scene, but Naruto more than made up for it.

However, she read through his happy attitude and noticed the apprehension in his eyes. She noticed as they were walking to the hospital.

"Uzumaki-san, are you alright?" she asked.

He would merely grin, giving her a thumbs up.

"I'm great, things are finally looking up for everyone. Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason," Sakura frowned, sighing at his stubbornness. Clearly, something was wrong. "Hey, Uzumaki-san, how exactly did you and Jiraiya-sama come across this place?"

"We traveled a lot together," Naruto explained. "We actually came across a lot of villages like this. The last time…" Sakura frowned, feeling the intensity in Naruto's voice. "Well, it didn't end so well. So I don't want to make that mistake again. A lot of the adults are gone because some left to bring in income for their families. But some never return, so I'm going to do whatever I can to help these kids." Sakura nodded, wondering what happened, but figured he was too emotional to ask. It was better not to. She figured he wouldn't really say anyways. When it came to anything really serious about his past, he seemed to try to brush it off.

"Now come on, Sakura-chan, let's keep working together. We can go and tell them stories and stuff. The kids really like that. And after maybe you can be _my_ assistant this time and help me cook the ramen," Naruto suggested, running back to the hospital. And Sakura nodded, following the blond man, thinking how thankful she was that this village had someone like him around.

Still, the sense of recognition, of familiarity on his face didn't seize. And more importantly, the worry that was slowly rising up to the surface was very evident.

However, she smiled, hoping he would soon tell her.

Her mission stated to find out as much about the mysterious teenager, but at this point, she could barely thing about it. She wanted to know, as a newfound friend she was growing fond of each and every day.

.

It was only a few days since Jiraiya had left them, but things were managing well without him. Naruto still seemed apprehensive, but she hoped maybe her medicine balls she planned to make would make him feel better. It was one of the main reasons why she was out in the garden in the evening. It was then, however, Ami came running towards her in a panic.

"Sakura-san!" Ami called, urging Sakura to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Sakura stood up, wiping away the dirt from the garden, before running into the hospital with Naruto following behind.

"It's only been a few days, and they already have a buildup of phlegm." Sakura thought for a moment.

"It seems to be coming back quicker than before," Sakura thought, nervous and knowing she would have to report back to Tsunade soon with this new revelation. Sakura nodded, pulling her hair up and looking at both Saki and Ami.

"You know what to do," she told them, and they nodded, fetching clean water and other supplies Sakura could use.

By the time she had finished helping the children, she was beat, exhausted. The mucus build up has been happening faster and faster.

Which meant she was running out of time.

.

She's been experimenting as much as she could, hoping she could find something that can help the children. But it was difficult without hearing back from Tsunade yet about the makeup of the bacteria or virus that was causing this.

"What's taking so long?" Sakura thought, wondering if she could really find a way to save them all. Sakura sighed, the night calming her a bit.

However, the rain that began didn't help.

"A storm? That's the last thing we need right now. We're already down on blankets for the kids," Hikari said, looking up to the sky, concern evident.

"Go inside, okay? Let me know if there's anything wrong. I'll be doing more experimenting."

"But Sakura-san, don't you need to rest? You just did really big procedures again, isn't your chakra-"

Sakura confidently beamed at the woman, making Hikari stop to admire the strong woman before her. She was much younger than her, yet she still found her confidence admirable.

"I'll be fine, Hikari-san. I'm starting to get used to it," she lied. "Just make sure the kids are alright. Saki and Ami are also there to help out. If you need anything, I'm here." Hikari was encouraged, though, less worried and ready to do what she can now, running back to aid the children. Sakura nodded to herself.

"Sakura-chan, you're really in no condition to keep working like this," Naruto said. Sakura blinked, wondering if her reflexes were that slow because of her exhaustion or if she had just noticed how quick Naruto was. Sakura smiled despite that lapse in judgement.

"Go make your special ramen, Uzumaki-san. I'll be fine." Naruto frowned, having an uneasy pit at the bottom of his stomach before he nodded, relenting to her wishes.

"I will, but get some rest before you eat. My ramen should heal you right up." Sakura nodded. "Also, I'll walk you to your room," he said. He gave her a thumbs up, before she sighed.

As they walked, it was Naruto who didn't feel things were right.

"Something's wrong, Sakura-chan," he whispered in her ear. "I think someone's watching us." Sakura frowned, looking around. Sakura jumped away.

"I'll go check it out," Sakura said, her eyes alert.

"But you're not in any condition to-"

"Hey, it's my duty, Uzumaki-san. Let me do my job," she winked, surprising Naruto by her confidence. "You just go and cook a big bowl of ramen for me." She tried to ease his mind, but it didn't help. Sakura jumped away, and Naruto cursed, his fist clenching.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, wishing Jiraiya was here. This was the main reason he's been so nervous. He prayed that the Akatski didn't follow him here too.

Because if they were, and if they hurt the kids or Sakura, he wasn't sure if he could stay in control.

Naruto gritted his teeth, frustrated.

For Naruto, it was the worse time for a threat to appear.

.

Sakura moved around, surveying the area and clearing different parts of the small village.

"Maybe he was just being paranoid," Sakura thought, putting back her kunai in her ninja holster. Sakura looked up, wondering if the rain was messing with her senses. She sighed massaging her head. She really was running low on chakra after doing all those procedures.

"Such a cute little girl," a voice rang in the distance, Sakura rapidly examined the area, taking out her kunai and trying to figure out where the voice came from. "Is it just you defending this shit village?" Sakura gritted her teeth, already annoyed with whoever was there.

"Who are you? What do you want? If it's such a meaningless village, then why don't you leave?" she asked, annoyed.

"We're only here for the jinchuuriki," they simply said. Sakura frowned.

"Jinchuriki? What?" Sakura tried to scramble to every piece of information she had, trying to figure out what he was talking about. She remembered skimming through reports with the word, but she couldn't find it in her to recall exactly what they said that could help her.

"There's big money to be made for him, so bring him here," the man said. Sakura growled. She watched them, and they didn't seem so tough.

"Look, I have no idea what you're talking about, so you better leave," Sakura explained. "If you touch anyone-"

"We'll slaughter every single villager here if you don't hand him over."

"I don't even know what that is!" Sakura frowned, before she lunged forward, throwing a kunai, before sending a kick to the ground, effectively crumbling the ground with a loud "Shannarou!"

Sakura cringed, gritting her teeth together as she felt her chakra reserves depleting faster. She had to make this quick. She moved to one, effectively punching one through a wall. She looked up to the quiet one, watching the scene unfold. He had laughed at his friends misfortune.

"Who are you talking about?" Sakura asked, kneeling as she felt as though she would pass out.

"Isn't it obvious? We want-"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out, before effectively appearing from out of nowhere. He moved behind the man easily, maneuvering to effectively knock him out with a swift move. He looked back at the two ninja, which weren't a threat at all. He grinned, relieved that it wasn't Akatski. He scratched his cheeks.

"Naruto… what are you…" Sakura cringed, kneeling down when she realized she had used up way too much chakra already. Naruto was alert now, goign to her aid.

"Sakura-chan, your chakra levels are really down. I told you to go rest," Naruto said. Naruto looked down to the unconscious men who didn't put up much of a fight. "Ya bastards!" Naruto growled.

"Naruto?" Sakura wondered, grabbing a hold of her head as she tried to shakily stand up.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" he asked, taking a moment to see her from the corner of his eyes. Sakura nodded, standing up and rubbing her temples.

"Yeah, thanks, I'll be fine," Sakura said. Both wrapped the two up, hoping they wouldn't get away.

"Doesn't look like they were that strong at all," Naruto smirked, mentally patting himself on the back for a job well done. Sakura glared at the young man, extremely annoyed.

"I could handle myself, you know. I didn't knock the second one out myself yet because I was _trying_ to figure out what they wanted," Sakura said, eyeing him accusingly. Naruto sheepishly laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Neh, neh, sorry, Sakura-chan! I know you could handle it, but I was worried since you just finished using a lot of chakra." Sakura sighed, albeit thankful that he showed up when he did. She really wasn't sure how much chakra she had left. The constant procedures she did was taking a toll on her body.

"Whatever, just leave them to me now. I want to interrogate them," Sakura began, about to walk up to them, when Naruto stopped her.

"No, it's fine," Naruto said. "I'll handle it…" Naruto began, a pause before he finally admitted what she really wanted to here, albeit hesitantly. "Besides, they're here for me." Sakura eyed him suspiciously.

"You have something to do with them coming here, don't you?" she asked, wondering if this was why Tsunade asked her to watch him. Naruto frowned. The way he was able to easily wipe them out, even though they were weak, was still an interesting feat that no ordinary ramen chef could do.

Only exceptional ninja could manage that so easily.

It was blatantly clear that Naruto was no ordinary ramen chef.

When Naruto made no sound, Sakura's fist clenched.

"Explain yourself," Sakura growled. The look in her eyes was unreadable, like he was the enemy. Naruto didn't like it at all.

"S-Sakura-chan… and we were both on a first name basis too… sometimes," Naruto joked despite the situation.

"Then explain yourself, damn it," Sakura ordered, not enjoying the idea of being lied to.

Naruto frowned. "Okay, well let's take care of them first, and then talk somewhere private." Sakura sighed, agreeing.

.

"So..."

"It's... a lot to explain, Sakura-chan. But I need to tell you something first." Sakura nodded, waiting for what he had to say.

"I used to see you at the academy, you know," he mentioned, staring out at the full moon.

"You went to the academy?" she asked, putting two and two together, finally. It has been bugging her since she first time met him. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know if you remember me, but I remember you… I was the kid always on the swing. They used to call me the class clown."

"So that's where I remember you from! You were the Naruto in my class I think!" she giggled. "You're that kid who would do those dumb pranks on the students, I remember now!" Sakura giggled, realizing he was only in her class for a few months before he got transferred out, or that was the story they told them. She smiled, never thinking he would end up traveling with the Legendary Sanin.

"Hey! They weren't dumb, they were funny!" he retorted, pouting.

"They were dumb from what I can remember," she giggled some more. "It's been so long… Is that really you?" She grabbed both his cheeks, trying to remember everything she could about the blond kid she remembered from so long ago.

"S-Sakura-chan, quit it that kinda hurts," he complained, pouting. She stopped, before Naruto smirked. "I'm just kidding, you should do it more," he said suggestively, making her roll her eyes, but it made her laugh, still. She looked at him with new eyes, remembering how annoying and bratty he used to be. She remembered, how sometimes, she just wanted to study and learn from her teacher, but that would always get delayed because of the pranks he'd play. She remembered him always yelling, shouting things she couldn't remember. She never understood why he would stoop to pranks all the time. The teachers would take their time scolding him, which would waste precious time, time she _could_ have been learning. "What happened? How did you get here? How'd you end up becoming a _ramen chef_?" Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"That's a long story," he merely said.

Sakura frowned. "How do you still remember me after all this time? It's been so long, and we weren't exactly friends from what I can remember," Sakura reminded.

"I remember everyone would laugh at me. But you were the only kid that ever lectured me in our class," he admitted, thinking back to the memory. "You got so mad at me because of one of my pranks. I remember after class, you slapped me, angry that I was pulling pranks for attention and told me that pranking is not the way to get it. You nagged at me, saying if I really wanted to be noticed so much, then I should focus on being better in my ninja skills and doing well in class instead of resorting to pranking and disrupting the class, which wouldn't help anyone. I remember never seeing anyone so mad at me before."

Sakura could not, for the life of her, remember that. It had been so long ago. But she would believe it. Her face heated, embarrassed by that. She would get annoyed at the kids who disrupted class or pulled so many pranks, and decided to finally say something. Where everyone would laugh at him, she got annoyed and berated him.

"I completely forgot about that, if I'm being honest. I don't remember, but sorry if I was so harsh on you," she apologized, brushing through her hair. She was flustered for her childlike behavior, but Naruto only chuckled. He shook his head.

"Well, what you said made a lot of sense to me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still pulled pranks after that, but I also tried harder in the academy and made an effort to train. You were right, you know. I just wanted attention, but that wasn't the way to do it. That was part of the reason why I wanted to get stronger," he admitted. Sakura looked at him oddly, not remembering any of this. She wondered, how something so small as her nagging, could be so important that he carried it with him to this day.

"You know, back when I was a kid, people only either ignored me, laughed at me, or shunned me. No one really saw _me_. But, you know, even if you were so mad at me and lectured me, you still saw me and didn't ignore me. In fact, you helped me, and acknowledged me in that moment. I mean, you had made a good point and kinda helped me realize that if I wanted to be noticed and acknowledged, I have to show them through my strength instead of pranking." Sakura was baffled by this, wondering how her being mean and lecturing him could lead up to this. It was rather ironic, actually.

"Were… you ever planning on coming back to Konoha?" she wondered. She looked into his eyes and noticed the doubt and uncertainty. He seemed conflicted, and she wondered why.

"I can't… not with Akatsuki after me," he started. Sakura frowned. Naruto looked troubled now, his eyes averted away from her gaze. It was a subject he didn't want her to know, something he wanted to hide from her.

"What? Akatsuki? Why would they be after you?" She heard rumors, and heard Tsunade-sama talking about them, talking of tracking the jinchuuriki before. Yes, that's where she had heard that word before. But she had only heard because she made eavesdropping her pass time.

"You were a kid back then, so you didn't know, but all the adults knew about it…" By the sadness in his eyes, Sakura had a sinking feeling. She hadn't seen Naruto this troubled before, this vulnerable.

"It's you, isn't it? Those guys back there, they wanted a jinchuuriki... and that's you," Sakura realized, and Naruto nodded. "Tsunade-sama talked about someone containing the kyuubi in the village before. Well I overheard her say something about that. I… I was curious and kind of tried to listen in, but I didn't think…" she couldn't help but trail off, noticing the melancholy in his eyes.

"Then you understand why I can't go back to the village, right? I can't put everyone in jeopardy because of me. What happened in the other village… I lost control of him." Sakura said nothing. She frowned, her hand over her navel as she felt a dark feeling at the pit of her stomach.

"I left at an early age, I didn't join a genin team, because I needed to get stronger and I needed to control the Kyuubi… I ended up traveling with Pervy Sage, and I thought I would be able to get strong to become Hokage after that, but… I don't know if I can go back there, not when… not when there's so much at stake. Not when the village is at stake. If I go back there, and the village gets destroyed, if more lives are sacrificed because of me, then I am no real hero – I could never become Hokage." Naruto clenched his shirt where his navel was, looking down at his burden.

"Even so, you can use your power to help protect them, right? You are a member of the village. You were still born there. You don't have to keep going from place to place," she reasoned. "I know Tsunade-sama wants you back."

"Before… I caused a lot of damage, when I released the Kyubi's power. I nearly killed innocent villagers… and so I left with Jiraiya in order to control it… you know why I can't go back to the village? Why I have to leave here, after I fulfill my promise and I'm sure the kids are better?" he asked. Sakura frowned. "We'll most likely never see each other again. I have to stay away."

"What do you think will happen if Akatsuki show up and you're not there? This isn't a battle you can fight alone." she turned away, her eyes focusing on the small tree beside them. "You shouldn't be alone – you're not alone. What will you do, if they show up in Konoha, suspecting you're there? Naruto, you can't just run away from them forever. And you can't let them take you so easily." She added, "Konoha should not allow them to take you so easily."

"They won't," he growled, his fists clenching. "But for that, I need to get stronger."

Sakura got teary eyed, before her head fell on his shoulder.

"Jiraiya-sama is right. You can be the biggest fool," Sakura said in between tears. Her face rested against his chest, sobbing for him, praying he would be okay. It was so much to take in. Naruto was surprised, happy that she was here, that she was still here for him. He felt relieved. For a brief second, a part of him felt like everything was okay, like he could handle Akatski and come back if it meant being with Sakura like this. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her, being in each other's embrace comforting the other.

"Sakura-chan… don't cry for me."

.

Sakura felt deeply troubled.

" _Bring Naruto back to the village by any means necessary, even by force."_ This was the main excerpt from the report, Sakura couldn't stop going over. She wasn't sure what she should do at this point.

Tsunade was going to prepare ANBU to bring him back if need be. Sakura would just have to give the word.

It didn't feel right.

Naruto is her friend. He was important to her.

He shared so much information with her. He trusts her.

Tsuande must have figured this already, somehow.

But it still felt horrible. She bit her bottom lip, wondering what she would do.

She knew what she had to do.

But it just didn't feel right.

It left an ache in her heart.

.

Sakura was more exhausted than ever.

She barely slept as it was now, trying to figure out a way to stop the mucus buildup. While she was working on that, she was also teaching some students medical skills, along with herbology and how to attend the gardens.

Thankfully, she still had Naruto, Hikari, Saki, and Ami there helping her through it all.

It made things much easier for her.

Still, it was very exhausting for her. She wasn't sure how she'd get through it any longer.

That's why, she was excited when she heard back from Tsunade. She prayed to the heavens, hoping that they found something that could help too.

Tsunade sent back a full analysis of what was in the mucus and the chemicals interacting.

Sakura smiled to herself.

"This should make things easier," she said to herself, hoping to find something soon.

Sakura was interrupted, when Ami barged into her study unexpectedly.

"Sakura-san! Something terrible has happened!" Ami yelled, tears in her eyes. "It's Odai-chan!"

.

Sakura watched as the little boy, Odai, gasped for air. She frowned, before immediately getting to work.

"If you do the procedure again, he'll be alright, right?" Ami asked, worried. Her hands laced together, praying for his recovery. Sakura frowned, not sure what to tell her. The fact that the buildup was accelerating was troubling her.

"I don't know right now," Sakura began, but Naruto cut her off.

"That's not an answer!" he bit out, anger seeping all over his features along with the sweat that formed.

Odai was worst off. He was getting sicker and sicker as the days went by faster than the other children. This was the culmination of that.

Sakura tried her best. Naruto was too impatient.

"For the time being, I can stabilize him so their symptoms aren't severe. However, it might take me a while to figure out an antidote," Sakura announced. Jiraiya nodded.

"So… there's nothing you can do to help him? It's coming quicker and quicker. Is that all you can do right now?" Naruto asked, enraged. Sakura frowned.

"I am doing my best," Sakura countered, glaring at him, aggravated. He was upset. She wasn't sure if he was upset with her, or just the whole situation entirely.

"You're Tsunade-baachan's apprentice, right? Why is it taking so long?!" he yelled, frustrated. "Try!" She glared, getting more upset. "Please, do something! Try! I thought you would have gotten somewhere by now. I thought you knew what you were doing!"

 _Smack._

His cheek was burning after it met the palm of Sakura Haruno's hand.

"I'm doing what I can! Yelling at me will just make things worse" she answered back, her voice shaky yet still stern, and her glare boring into him.

Her face heated, flustered at striking her client.

He was completely silent, staring at her with wide eyes. She briskly turned to walk away, sorry, yet not so much. She was incredibly annoyed. She understood that she needed to find an antidote quickly, and she was not up to Tsunade-sama's level yet, but she was trying. He made it seem as though she had no heart, that she was not trying…

A tear fell. "That idiot has no idea…" She was doing what she could, she just had to focus. She was running on absolutely no sleep for the past two days, taking soldier pills and using her chakra to stay awake to find something, anything that will help her create an antidote.

She was incredibly exhausted.

She wondered if Tsunade-sama would have already found the cure.

.

He always acted so cool, she didn't think he would start bawling like crazy when she told him she was able to save him. He was so emotional, when he cried on her shoulder, she couldn't find it in her to say anything. She was happy too, soon patting his back.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. I couldn't do anything for Odai-chan, but you did. You're incredible," he complimented in between sobs.

She had a feeling he was overly emotional, but she didn't know how much. She was always taught to not show her tears. And although she found it extremely hard to obey this rule, she didn't see other people, especially a man, do so, so openly.

It was endearing. She rubbed his shoulders, knowing they were tears of joy, that Odai survived, and tears of uselessness, a feeling she knew all too well from her past. She knew exactly how that felt, knowing it was a very hard thing to go through when you know you are completely helpless in protecting your precious people.

At that moment, her arms fell to their side, feeling rather exhausted herself. Any anger or resentment she felt for his words was gone, understanding how much this effected him.

After the procedure, Sakura took a moment to rest, nearly asleep in the chair. It was then, that Naruto walked up to her.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." He bowed and presented her a bowl of freshly made ramen. She tilted her head, quirking an eyebrow.

"What's this?"

"A present, to show you my gratitude. And because I'm really sorry for what I said. If Tsunade-baachan sent you, then that means you are really good. And, I have faith in you. I know you will do everything you can. I'm just frustrated, that they're still in pain, that there's a chance they can still…" Naruto trailed off, fighting back tears of his own.

She nodded, feeling bad herself.

"I know it's hard. I feel terrible too. I am worried that I am not doing enough… and you made it worse."

"Sakura-chan, believe me, I know you are! I was just upset! I thought he might die back there, so I just got so angry. I shouldn't have taken it out on you," he apologized.

"It's okay. I get it," she said, forgiving him. She looked down to the ramen before smiling. "You know, you didn't have to make me ramen."

"You said you didn't like my ramen when we first met, remember?" he laughed. She shook, reminiscent of the memory.

"I said it was _okay_ ," Sakura corrected.

"Might as well have said you hated it," he laughed.

"Okay, sure. Even if we go with that and I really did hate it… then why are you giving this as a present?"

"Because… I wanted you to try this. I figured if I changed the flavor a little, you might like it this time. I adjusted the recipe a little bit," he declared, grinning from ear to ear.

Sakura took a sip, before she smiled warmly.

"Better," she said. "Thanks." She continued to slurp up the noodles, but still, Naruto fell over, wondering why she wasn't falling head over heels for the amazing ramen dish.

.

Sakura sighed, wiping a sweat.

"I'm close, I can feel it." Sakura frowned, however, thinking things through, wondering what would happen after she found it.

A poignant feeling came to her, wondering what would happen when she did, when she would leave back to Konoha and leave them for good – wondering if they would really be okay after she was gone. She shook her head, deciding not to think about that at the moment. When she left, it would mean that they were better – it would be on a good note, anyways, she had to keep telling herself.

She looked down to the scroll, continuing to figure what amounts of herb she needed to make the medicine they needed.

Sakura closed her eyes, remembering all of Tsunade's training. She didn't fully complete her training but she knew enough to figure this out.

So many were counting on her, she had to do everything she could.

.

"I'm going to leave, once you're done here. I told the kids I'd stay for them, but once they are cured, I have to go. I'm already putting them in enough danger as it is. I have to leave to control the kyuubi," he explained, looking pained but knowing it needed to be done. Sakura frowned, tears beginning to cascade down.

"Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry," he apologized, his sad frown deepening. He wished he could hug her, and never let her go, but he couldn't.

"Naruto, there's something I have to tell you. I have to be honest with you. My mission is to convince you to come back to the village, by force if I have to. Otherwise I fail the mission," she explained, worried he would take it the wrong way. "But honesty, I don't even care about my mission anymore! I want you to come back with me, because of my feelings for you, because I want us to stay together. Because you belong with me, by my side! You belong in Konoha, protecting the village and making your dream come true. I remember, how you used to yell about being Hokage, so you have to come back to Konoha! Please, come back with me!" she pleaded, moving closer to him and burring her face in his chest. Naruto blushed, being this close Sakura again. His eyes still dulled, completely conflicted but knowing what the sad truth was.

"Sakura-chan... I'm so sorry, but I can't protect anyone like this. I can't become Hokage when if I lose control. I can't protect anyone. I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, I truly am. But I can't go back, not yet. I promise, however, that I will someday. I will come back when I get stronger - strong enough to control my powers," he declared with so much determination and conviction. Sakura stopped in her tracks, her cheeks flaring to a deep crimson.

"I promise, I'll come back, because I like you so much, Sakura-chan! I want to be by your side too!" he confessed, his arms around her as tight as he can, never wanting to let her go.

"Okay. Okay," she agreed. "I won't ask you to come back just now. But I want you to know, that if I failed my mission, ANBU would come, but... but I won't say anything, so you don't have to worry about me ratting you out. You can leave with Jiraiya-sama and get a heads start." she said. They stayed there for a while, enjoying each other's company, before Sakura moved away a bit, wiped her tears, and showed flames of inspiration and determination.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. Thank you for understanding. And I promise, that I really will come back. I'll work even harder now."

"I want to promise you, then, that I'll get stronger too, Naruto! Please, so, don't be gone too long, because you have precious people in Konoha now, who will be waiting for you… and who will find you and knock you out if you keep her waiting for long!" Naruto stopped for a moment, his eyes wide, before he gave her the biggest grin ever, and nodded. "Plus, I'll want to try your ramen again," Sakura confessed. Naruto's eyes widened, completely unexpecting that.

Out of everything, this is what stunned him the most.

His cheeks reddened, his face heating.

"S-Sakura-chan… really? You mean it? But I thought you hated it," he said.

"I never hated it, baka. Besides, I've grown a liking to it, you could say," Sakura admitted. "So you better come back," she demanded. Naruto could only grin, nodding and giving her a thumbs up.

"Definitely, Sakura-chan! You can count on me!"

.

Sakura refused to sleep.

She was so close. There were numerous disheveled scrolls in her room, thrown out. She kept placing samples in the middle, hoping some medicine would work. She was getting closer, she knew it. The more she tried, the better it would be. At first, the numerous reactions would make things worse. But when she created a mixture with herbs and other ingredients, she was shocked to see the sample placed in the middle completely gone.

She began to laugh, truly elated by the fact that it had disappeared.

"It's gone, it's gone!" Sakura jumped, dancing.

"I made it! I made it!" Sakura rejoiced, excited. She could only imagine the little kids, seeing their delighted faces, seeing them jump out of bed after everything they had to endure. Tears of pure joy fell. "I… I have to make more… I have to show Hikari, Takeshi, Saki and Ami and- and Naruto, and…" she was giggling, imagining the look on Naruto face when she told him the news. She knows he was going to be so happy when she tells him.

"I did it… I really did it." She thanked the heavens and the earths, and Tsunade of course.

Things were finally looking up for the better.

"Time to turn this into some edible medicine," Sakura thought, going to work. This, was something she could do.

The hard part was over. She nodded to herself, her exhaustion leaving and ready to get to work on a medicine.

The healers in training all cheered and took as many notes as they could in order to follow in Sakura's footsteps. She was able to find a cure and create a medicine that will ultimately heal them. She couldn't wait to see how much it helped, hoping to see a change in the kids immediately.

When Naruto found out, he enveloped her in a hug, too excited to hear her protest. Thankfully, her protest were only half serious. She was just as happy as he was, relieved that she could finally help them and do what she set out to do.

"Sorry…Just, you're incredible, so incredible thank you, Sakura-chan!"

They were all overjoyed when they noticed the deep change in the kids.

"Naruto-kun, Sakura-san, we feel better already! Thank you so much!"

Sakura and Naruto laughed when many of the kids jumped on them, and they were engulfed by hugs, tickles, and laughter.

At that moment, everything was perfect.

Things were finally looking up.

.

"I guess, this is going to be the end, neh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto wondered, a small smile on his face. Sakura frowned.

"You don't have to leave. Come back to Konoha with me," Sakura urged. Naruto shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. You know why I can't do it."

"You know… I would be disobeying Tsunade-sama's orders if I let you go."

"I'm sorry again, Sakura-chan. I really do want to go back with you. I want to see how much the village has changed."

"I know," she said sadly. "Like I said, I'll buy you enough time. Just... just please be careful," Sakura cautioned, tears brimming from her eyes. Naruto grinned.

"Always. Remember? I promised you. I'll promise you again, if I have to. I'll come back!" Naruto reassured. Naruto stepped closer, brushing her hair away from her eyes. before Sakura couldn't help but lean into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a tender kiss.

Naruto was shocked, his eyes wide open and wondering if this was actually happening.

"To seal the promise. That means it will be guaranteed, that you keep your promise."

"I was going to anyways, but... wow, that was..."

"Weboy, finally, something good happened," Jiraiya said, giving the boy a pat on the back and a knowing smirk. Sakura's face heated, turning away.

"You ruined it you Perverted Hermit!" Naruto growled, making Jiraiya give out a hearty laugh.

"That's for all those times you messed up my chances," he smirked, making Naruto's face scrunch up with anger.

Sakura could only giggle, still blushing, happy things were at least ending on a good note.

"Bye, Naruto."

.

Tsunade sighed, leaning her head against the palm of her hand.

Sakura visibly shrunk for only a brief second, before she regained composure, standing strong.

"Sakura," she said sternly, completely frustrated with Sakura's action. Sakura would usually squirm at her master's tone, but she did not this time. She eyed her shishou head on, her back straight and ready to take any scolding Tsunade was planning to dish out.

"That was one of the most reckless things I've ever seen from you. You have completely disobeyed my orders, and on top of it all, you let both Naruto and Jiraiya get away. What do you have to say for yourself? Explain," she ordered.

Sakura bowed, before explaining.

"Tsunade-sama. I received this mission because you trusted me. I won't ask for forgiveness, because I know I will have to make up for my negligence. However, before this mission, you did say you trusted me, since I am your student and I would never disobey an order without reason. Without a good reason. So, I only ask that you continue to trust in me, when I tell you that this was for the best. I can also guarantee, that Naruto will come back when he's ready. He's stronger than you think." Throughout her words, Sakura's resolve never faltered, staying bold and strong. Tsunade watched her curiously, able to see the conviction in her eyes. She understands.

It reminds her of the day Sakura first asked to receive training. The look in her green eyes, made Tsunade think of herself, in her position. She understood then.

Tsunade sighed, before taking a sip of her sake.

"If he doesn't, you are demoted," Tsunade said. Sakura gulped, before bowing and accepting her fate. "Now go take this papers to the hospital."

Sakura nodded, accepting and delighted that Tsunade believed in her still.

.

 _A Year Later..._

Sakura walked through the village, ready to deliver some work to the gate keepers. She held a manila folder in her hand. Sakura stopped in her tracks when she spotted a man with spiky white haired. At first she thought she was seeing things, but the closer he got, the more she realized that it was no illusion.

She could hear his voice, and new immediately who it was. She took off, excitement on her face.

"Jiraiya-sama!" Sakura called out. Jiraiya smiled, waving to Sakura.

"Sakura, long time no see. I see you're looking more and more like Tsunade every day," he complimented.

"Jiraiya-sama? Is that really you? Thank you. Wait, but if you're here, then that means…" her eyes widened at the thought. She turned back to Jiraiya. "Where's Naruto?" Sakura immediately asked, frowning when she didn't spot him anywhere. Jiraiya just raised his eyes, and Sakura followed.

"Let's just say, he ran inside. That kid is way too excited to be here," Jiraiya said, shaking his head with a slight smile. Sakura smiled, to running back into the village before she stopped, looking up.

She looked to the silhouette above, who was on the highest pole of the village.

"Eh?' she wondered in bafflement and a bit of awe. The sun shone bright, making her cover her face with her hands as she looked up to the silhouette that was shining brighter than the sun.

There he was a hero in his own right, standing at the top of the pole as he screamed from the top of his lungs.

She couldn't help but smile proudly, putting her faith in him once again. If they were in the village again, she knew what that meant.

"Your hero, Uzumaki Naruto, best ninja ever, protector of the village, and future Hokage, is back!" he yelled from the top of his lungs, unafraid and ready.

The same warm smile she grew to only show for him appeared.

"Welcome back, Naruto."

.

 _AN:_ Aaaand, there you go! In this timeline, Naruto left early on in his life, at a very young age. Jiraiya is his godfather still, so he traveled with him and protected him and trained him (earlier in life). I also figured that without Naruto's friends etc., he would have an even harder time controlling the kyuubi (since he left at an early age and thus, couldn't make the friends he did before). Writing these kinds of oneshots helped me realize that I should not try to write chapter fics anymore lol. They're too much of a hassle. xD Well so are these too, and this probably seems rushed too, so… lol idk man, maybe I should just like stick to drabbles or something. xD They're also a pain to edit, because they're so long so I start to get tired and my eyes get used to things so I don't catch this as well as I should. Well, I hope this wasn't too rushed actually. I did my absolute best! Either way, please tell me what you think! I know this was really fast paced, so if you have any questions or if something didn't make sense to you, or you don't get something that happened in this, please ask! Thanks and I hope you have a happy New Year!


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